Ponda (Goa) : The Goa government has taken an important decision to restore all the Hindu temples destroyed by the Portuguese. Accordingly, the attendees in the Vaishvik Hindu Rashtra Mahotsav place a unanimous demand before the central government to restore all the temples demolished by foreign invaders and preserve the cultural heritage of India. This was conveyed to the press by Mr Sunil Ghanwat, Rajya Sangathak, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Maharashtra and Chattisgarh, and Samanvayak of Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh. He was addressing a press conference organized on the occasion of the Vaishvik Hindu Rashtra Mahotsav. Supreme Court advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain (fighting the Kashi Vishweshwar – Gyanvapi case), Mr Jayesh (Gomantak Mandir Mahasangh), Advocate Suresh Kaudare (Adhyaksha, Jyotirlinga Srikshetra Bhimashankar Devasthan) and Mr Anup Jayswal (Devasthan Seva Samiti, Vidarbha) were present.
Mr Sunil Ghanwat said, “The Hindu Rashtra Adhiveshan has always taken a stand for the liberation and protection of temples. This Adhiveshan has been the birthplace of major movements such as Bhojshala Mukti Andolan in Madhya Pradesh, eviction of illegal Islamic encroachments in the Tirupati Balaji temple, fight against corruption in Pandharpur, Shirdi, Kolhapur, Tuljapur temples which are under government control. Temples should be preserved to preserve the culture. Gomantak Mandir Mahasangh is working for this in Goa, while Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh is active in Maharashtra. Soon we will organize a meeting of temple trustees in Karnataka, New Delhi too.
After Kashi, stage set to liberate Mathura and Kishkindha! – Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain
All the laws passed by various state governments across the country regarding temples violate Articles 19, 21, 25, 26 and 27 of the Constitution. Therefore, the central government should repeal all temple related laws and free temples from government control. A law regarding Kishkindha, the birthplace of Hanumanta in the state of Karnataka, has been declared unconstitutional by the High Court. So, we will start working to liberate Mathura and Kishkindha too.
Thoughts of other dignitaries
1. Mr Jayesh Thali of Gomantak Mandir Mahasangh said, ‘The govt of Goa should complete the restoration of the temples destroyed by the Portuguese in a time bound manner. The Mandir Mahasangh will provide complete support to the committee set up by the government’.
2. The secretary of Devasthan Seva Samiti (Vidarbha) Mr Anup Jayswal said, “The Devasthan Seva Samiti has started working to bring in suitable amendments to the ‘Bombay Public Trusts Act’ to solve the problems of temples.”
3. Advocate Suresh Kaudare said, “In many states, the government is disbursing salaries to imams and mullah-maulvis in mosques, and even providing funds to madrasas. Then why are Hindu priests in temples not being paid salaries? Priests face numerous problems. The State Government should amend the Bombay Public Trusts Act to preserve the rights and duties of hereditary priests and facilitators. We will try to resolve the disputes between temple trustees and priests through the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh.”
